Fire-pail indicator.



PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

H. T. MOODY. FIRE PAIL INDICATOR. APPLICATION FILED NOV. so, 1903.

TQ me UNITED STATES Patented March 28, 1905.

PATENT ()FFICE.

HENRY T. MOODY, OF NEWBURYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK M. EDMONDS, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-PAIL INDICATOR- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 786,135, dated March 28, 1905.

Application filed November 30, 1903. Serial No. 183,158.

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY T. MOODY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newburyport, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fire-Pail Indicators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

For protection against fire it is common to have buckets or pails placed in convenient locations about factories or other buildings and kept full of water. It is frequently the case that through carelessness the fire-pails are allowed to become empty. This occurs through the evaporation or through use of the water for other purposes. In many States it is required by statute that such fire-buckets be placed in factories and similar buildings for use in case of fire, and in these cases an inspector is often provided whose duty it is to see that the fire-pails are kept full at all times. Insurance companies also have similar requirements for buildings on which they place risks and also provide for inspection of fire-pails. It is desirable that some means he provided by which the inspector may see at a glance whether all the fire-buckets are full or not. Fire-buckets are often placed on shelves or in racks. In providing an indicator to show whether the pail is full it is necessary that it be of such a shape thatit will not interfere in any way with the rapid use of the pail in an emergency and that it be very cheap in construction. My device provides a simple and efficient means for accomplishing these ends. It is not in the way when the pail is being used, and it can readily be seen whether or not the pail is full.

With these ends in view I have made the herein-described device, which is fully set forth in the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof are pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of the specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a section through a fire-pail having my device attached thereto. Fig. 2 shows a fire-pail with a modification of my device attached thereto. Fig. 3 shows another modification of my device. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the clasp shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 1 is a fire-pail having the customary rounded bottom 2 to prevent its use for other purposes.

3 is the rim of the pail. This is not a part of my invention and is shown only to make more clear the object and use of my device.

4 is a float. This may be made of wood or any buoyant material; but in practice I find it convenient to make it of some very thin sheet metal, in which case it is air-tight and very buoyant. In the drawings I have shown a float made of metal, as described, in two parts 41 and 42, soldered together at the center. Of course any convenient shape of float may be used, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to a float of the shape or form shown.

In Fig. 1, 5 is a clasp for attachment to the rim 3 of the fire-pail. For convenience I make this clasp of wire, as shown in Fig. 4, having two converging parts 6, which extend downward from the rim 3 on the inside of the pail. These converging parts 6 terminate at their lower end in an upturned loop 7 (Clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4.) Extending clownward from the rim of the pail on the outside are two portions 8, and upward from the lower ends of the two portions 8 are two other portions 9, which form a means of securely holding the clasp on the side of the pail. The portions 9 project upward underneath the rim of the pail 3 and engage it. This clasp is made of one piece of wire for convenience.

On the float 4 is a loop 11. To this is attached one end of a flexible connection 10, the other end of which is attached to the loop 7 of the clasp 5. This flexible connection may be' of any convenient form or material. In practice I have found it convenient to use a small chain, as is shown in the drawings.

When the pail is full of water. the float is in the position shown in Fig. 1 and is clearly visible over the rim to a person passing the pail, even though the pail is placed on a shelf as high as the eye of the passer. As the pail gradually empties the indicator sinks behind the rim of the pail until it is no longer visible.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a modification of my device. 4: is a float similar to the float shown in Fig. 1. 12 is a clasp to go over the rim. 3 of the pail, held firmly in place on the pail by the screw 18. Thefloat i is attached to the clasp 12 by an arm 14, pivoted to the inner end of the clasp 12 at 15. Attached to the arm 14 is another arm or target 16, which is held in vertical position when the pail is full of water and the float is in the position shown in Fig. 2. As the pail becomes empty the float 4; falls, and the arm 14 revolves about the pivot 15, thereby moving the target 16 from its vertical position and. showing to the inspector or to a person passing that the water in the fire-pail needs replenishing.

Fig. 3 shows another modification of my device somewhat similar to the form shown in Fig. 1. This modification is specially adapted for use with pails which are made with reference to use with my device. In Fig. 3, 4 is the float, having the loop 11, to which is attached one end of the chain 10. The other end of the said chain 10 is attached to a loop 17 soldered, riveted, or otherwise secured to the inside of the pail. In Fig. 3 I have shown the loop 17 as bent at little for convenience and attached to the side of the pail by the rivet 18.

hat I claim is- 1. A visual indicator for fire-pails comprising a float, securing means by which said float may be attached to the side of a pail, and connecting means between said float and securing means which will permit said float to lie in proximity to the side of the pail when the pail is full, and be readily visible above the top thereof.

2. A visual indicator for fire-pails comprising a float, means for detachably securing the float to the side of a pail, and a flexible cord or chain connecting said float with said securing means so that when the pail is full the float will lie in proximity to the side of the pail and be readily visible above the rim thereof.

3. A visual indicator for fire-pails comprising a float, a spring-clasp adapted to clip over the rim of the pail and having an inner portion depending to a considerable distance within the pail, and aflexible connection such as a chain or cord between said float and the inner portion of said clasp whereby when the pail is full the float will lie in proximity to the side of the pail and be visible above the rim thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY T. MOODY. Witnesses:

CHAS. A. STOCKMAN, FRED S. NOYES. 

